City of Angels
by thedreamclubmurders
Summary: AU end of s1 : Reece Addler, a junior in high school, discovers some startling things about herself that make her question the theories she read in a book by a geneticist. But when she meets a boy named Peter Petrelli, her whole world changes... PeterxOC
1. the beginning

(( So I know I just started another story, a HP related one, but I've just gotten into Heroes a few days ago and I was on the third episode of season 2 and decided I'd like to write my own. This one is obviously AU, since I'm nowhere near done with the series and I don't know what happens. It's actually not going to have much to do with any of the characters from the show. If I miss something or need to sharpen my research, please let me know! After all, I've only just started the series. I ask that you please review! It makes me happy. ^^

Enjoy! ))

**Disclaimer**: I own all of these characters, except for Peter Petrelli, who is from the TV show Heroes. This writing is entirely my own, but I have taken the main ideas from the TV show Heroes.

_Riiiiiing_

Reece Addler stood, wobbling for a moment as her heels slid against the new, stiff back of her sneakers, and grabbed her backpack. There was a rush of students at the door, a few meeting up with high fives and relieved hellos; biology block had finally ended. Although science was her personal fixation, Reece was just as happy to be done with classes for the morning; even passion cannot demand two and a half hours of attention without disinterest.

Pulling the bag over her shoulder, she followed the wake of her classmates out the door and down the hall. In sunny California the school was built like a campus, where in order to walk from classroom to classroom one had to be outside. The lockers were outside as well, along with the cafeteria and the art and music rooms. Reece had been living just outside Los Angeles, in the suburbs, for most of high school.

She'd moved there from Philadelphia, on request of her father; he'd been offered a job that paid three times as much as his old one, and Reece was never one for strong attachments. Her old home and her old friends were not missed, perhaps because the home was crumbling and the friends were few and far between.

For some reason, she did not attract many people.

The heat was unforgiving as Reece began down the outside corridor, already feeling her t-shirt sticking to the back of her neck. Her junior year had just started two weeks ago, and by the weight of her backpack it seemed teachers were wasting no time hammering the nail into what was the undisputed champion for hardest year in high school.

Which was, unfortunately for Reece, made much harder by the fact that she still hadn't managed to make more than three friends.

One was her partner in economics, assigned to sit next to her at the beginning of last year; after a few projects together and sitting together at lunch, Reece had made friends with Jackson Press, whom everyone called J.P.. He was the kind of boy that had no clique, and he could sit anywhere at lunch and go to all the parties, but nobody knew much about him other than his extraordinary talents in volleyball that brought the school bragging rights. There was a charming roguishness to his rugged looks, and although Reece was a sucker for white-smiling blonds she saw no chance with Jackson. He'd said, on multiple occasions, that he liked her 'off beat style of simplicity', aka she was the only girl that still wore just t-shirts, jeans, and sneakers.

Reece had no personal edge to speak of, when it came to clothes, and most her classmates would argue personality as well. She was no wall flower, no, she was just gun-shy. Attention was not her strong suit.

The second friend, the one who she was walking towards the row of lockers out in the courtyard to meet, was Samantha Vree, a girl who was surprisingly friendly to Reece on her first day of high school. Their lockers were right next to each other, and when Samantha had seen Reece stuffing a full lunch in between her books, she offered to hide out in the art yard with her and eat, so she wouldn't have to be alone.

Now they ate lunch every day together, and spent the weekends sneaking to the city and trying to culture themselves. Samantha said it was very important to read 'classic' books, such as East of Eden or The Great Gatsby or Crime and Punishment. It helped attract the right kind of boys, she said.

Reece was not a believer in acquaintances, so although she knew many people there were no such passing classmates to wave to as she walked towards the courtyard; the hallway hello, that passive wave or nod of the head, was an unpracticed art to Reece. To be honest, she hated it.

Approaching the courtyard, she spotted Sam's tall, blond figure standing by their lockers. Upon seeing Reece, the tanned girl jumped and waved frantically, holding up her cell phone.

"You look like you're trying to flag the FBI or something, Sam, cool it with that hand." Reece grinned and hopped over the bench that was in front of the row of lockers. Dialing her combination, she pulled up and opened, stuffing her backpack in there.

"Oh, Ro, don't be cranky. It's too late in the day for you to be cranky," Sam rolled her eyes and chewed her gum.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Reece asked, pulling a brown paper bag out of her backpack and turning to Sam, still grinning.

Sam sighed dramatically and sat down on the bench, opening her lunch. "Only that you used up your sarcasm this morning, after second period. Hey – you gonna eat that? Ro!"

"What, that thing about your mom's crosswords? You know I was only kidding, I love your mom. She's eccentric. And, _yes_, I'm going to eat that." Reece snatched the yogurt that Sam had extracted from her open brown bag just moments earlier, and she made a face.

"Ugh, fine." Sam poked through her lunch, pulling out a capri sun.

"Just kidding. Don't fit," Reece tossed her the yogurt, pulling out a sandwich with her other hand. "I had bio block today. We were talking about this weird new science, something to do with genes. Mr. Pollaker thinks that humans can have, I dunno, superpowers or something. It's not like Marvel or anything, but – Sam, Sam, are you listening?" Reece waved her hand in front of Sam's face while taking a bite out of her sandwich.

Sam snapped up, looking to Reece, "yeah, yeah, you're going all science-y on me. But while _you_ are making love to genetics, _I_ am enjoying the eye candy. Oh, I am _so_ glad our school is right by the beach!" Samantha squealed.

Reece followed her gaze, although she already knew quite well what would be waiting.

Warren Castrade. Regulation hottie, in Samantha's words.

He was the first person Reece remembered seeing when she moved to Reardon , the small suburb they were in now, on the outskirts of L.A. She'd been trying to find her Earth Science class and he offered directions; the last thing he said was 'see you around', but that never happened.

Reece quickly learned that he was popular, and therefore not held responsible for every 'see you around' or 'catch you later' he said.

During lunch hours he would sometimes take his shirt off and go swimming in the beach. He was captain of the swim team so he had the key to the locker room, and he'd always walk from the pier to the gymnasium, where the locker rooms were, and conveniently right through the courtyard.

Reece snorted, taking another bite of her sandwich and chewing slowly, watching Warren just like every other girl despite her contempt for it. Although, there was something different in her eyes; no longing, but instead curiosity.

"Stop looking like that, I know what you're thinking Ro," Sam interjected her thoughts.

Making an innocent face, Reece took a big bite of her sandwich and spoke through a full mouth, "I haph no idea what your thalking abot."

"You're doing the whole… does he like mac and cheese, I wonder if his parents are divorced, do him and his sister get along, can he ride a bike… thing. God, you're such a creepy psychoanalyzing best friend."

"Oh yeah, really?" Reece raised her eyebrows, concealing a smirk as she took a sip of Sam's drink.

"Seriously. I'm doing you a favor by being your friend. My debt to society."

"And _mine_ is listening to you."

"Listening to me what?"

"Just listening to you," Reece laughed, standing up.

Samantha picked up her light backpack and swung it gently at Reece's leg. "Ugh, you bitch!" She giggled.

Crumpling up her lunch, Reece tossed it single handedly into the garbage can at the end of the row of lockers and checked the watch on her wrist – she was the only person she knew that still wore one. "Gotta go, I have art next period and Janss gets antsy if everyone's not punctual." She grabbed her bag, and then groaned.

"Did you just say –?"

"Yeah. Punctual." Reece said ashamedly, hopping back over the bench.

"God you are such a freak," Sam laughed and threw an apple at her, which Reece caught and smiled gratefully for.

"See you after school!"

Reece was already too far away from Samantha to hear, and she stepped out of the courtyard and into the open corridor, tossing the apple up once and taking a quick bite out of it. She was always fast with her hands.

Up ahead, someone was shouting, "Reece ! Hey – Reece! Ro!"

Looking back over her shoulder, she squinted, trying to pick the shouting face out of the crowd. Reece had terrible eyesight, but she never wore glasses; a credit to her stubbornness, her father always said.

Weaving between people was the bright eager face of her third and final friend, Maxwell Baxton. He had his backpack around his shoulders and it was pulling the loose fabric of his black bland shirt against his chest. As he half ran towards her, he pulled up his jeans by the belt.

"Bax!" She called back, smiling and waving.

He approached her slightly out of breath, and she laughed, throwing him the apple which he caught clumsily.

"Take up a sport, MaxBax."

"I told you to stop calling me that!" He said indignantly.

Reece grinned and pulled the apple out of his hand right before he was going to take a bite. "You don't sound intimidating when you're panting." She winked.

Max lunged at her for the apple, and she laughed, letting it go and holding her hands up. "Jeez, Max, calm down. You took the apple for my hand," she made a serious face and dropped her voice, "you are a man now," she pressed her hands together with the fingers pointing up, and bowed her head.

"Shut up, Ro. You're such an ass," Max shoved her, grinning and taking a bite out of the apple.

She laughed back, shrugging her shoulders and tugging on the straps of her bag. "Yeah, whatever, now come on. We're gonna be late for art."


	2. of apples and bullies

(( No reviewers yet? –sad face- Well, hopefully soon! ))

**Disclaimer**: I own all characters except for Peter Petrelli. Story is mine, the premise (superhero powers) belongs to the TV show Heroes.

Art class was held in a pavilion that was boxed in by a half circled outside hallway, and the chairs were set up like a wedding reception, with two columns, each with four rows and five chairs in each row. Reece made it a point to sit in the back, with Max, so that they could chat without feeling guilty.

Reece put her bag down at her feet, tilting back in the fold out chair as it dug further into the grass, and she took another bite of her apple.

"Looks like we're right on time," she said between chewing, and then tossed the apple to Max just as Mr. Janss approached the podium at the front of the semi-circle. Max caught the apple and took a bite himself, procuring a notepad and pen from his backpack.

"Today I am giving your midterm assignment."

There was a collective groan from the class. Mr. Janss sighed, over dramatizing his frustration, and cleared his throat.

"It sneaks up on you, kids, I mean it. Don't think that just because we're only a few weeks in you don't have to work. You gotta be sharks, this year. You gotta be…" He droned on, but Reece was not listening.

Instead, she was mimicking almost every word of his speech to Max, who was trying not to laugh too obviously.

The boy that sat in the row ahead of them, Trevor Buck, heard Max and turned around, whispering loudly, "Shut up, freak show."

Max straightened, and his laughter stopped immediately; he shifted in his seat and cleared his throat, purposefully not making eye contact with Reece.

For he knew that Reece was in the process of glaring at Trevor, which she was without subtlety; she narrowed her eyes, leaning forward in her chair and resting her elbows on her knees, taking a slow bite out of her apple and watching Trevor's neck as she chewed. Then, she threw the apple carelessly to her side, and Max lunged out to catch it. It was then that Reece suddenly kicked the back of Trevor's chair, sending him face first into the person in front of him.

Max was on the ground, just underneath Trevor's chair, guiltily holding the apple.

"Sorry," Reece said loudly, "Max dropped his apple and he accidentally hit Trevor's chair. Sorry buddy," she grinned crookedly and tapped the back of his overturned chair, pulling it back upright.

Trevor blinked, unsure of whether he should say anything back, but he finally stood up and resumed his seat. As soon as Mr. Janss was no longer paying attention he turned around and whispered harshly, "I'm not a gentleman, Addler. I hit girls."

Reece raised her brows, snorting, "I'm not sure you should be proud of that fact, Buck. Turn around," she pushed the back of his chair once roughly with her foot, and he jumped, turning back around and muttering something that sounded like 'you're so dead'.

Max had been watching in horror the whole time, but he did not say anything for the rest of class.

It was a single period, so after forty minutes the bell rang and students began to move to their next class; Max caught Reece's hand just as it reached for her backpack.

She groaned, rolling her eyes, "I can't take another lecture, Max."

He stuttered, "R-Reece, come on, you can't _do_ stuff like that to Trevor Buck. He's on the football team, and he's definitely beat up girls before—."

"Are you gonna put me in time out? Because, if you're not, I have class." Reece grabbed her backpack and stood up, looking amused.

"Socially reckless. You are socially reckless, Ro." Max shook his head, picking up his own backpack.

"I didn't know you cared so much, Mr. Baxter," she smirked and shoved his shoulder as she walked past him, stepping into the outside corridor and turning right, walking towards her next class. Max called out after her, but she offered only a wave of the hand. Sometimes he could be too socially conscious for her taste.

Her next class was English, with Mrs. Robbins. It was the one class she shared with Warren Castrade, and Sam never let her forget it. She usually received a text message just before class from Sam; ever the reliable, Reece felt her phone vibrate just as she turned the corner. Smiling, she pulled her phone out and flipped it open, reading the text message as she walked into the classroom:

_Eye candy alert, eye candy alert! Don't stare too much, blow him a kiss for me!_

_xoxo- Sam_

Reece began texting back, but there was a shadow blocking her view; she looked up, to find the looming height of one Mariella Fitzgerald hovering over her. Reece blinked, politely offering, "excuse me…" but the girl would not move. She stared Reece down, arms crossed and hip slightly sticking out, but Reece did not stare back. Instead, she stepped around the girl, putting her phone away as she did.

Mariella shot one last glare across the classroom as she took her seat, and Reece looked back, confused.

"Don't worry about Mariella. She's always mad at someone," the boy next to her quipped, and then turned to look at his book. He had a disheveled mane of dark almost black hair that was just a bit longer in the front, as it swept across his forehead and dipped down into his brown eyes. Reece had never seen him before. Was he in the grade above her?

She considered him, staring at his face as he stared at his book.

"Can't imagine why she'd be so mad at me," she said curiously, and then tore her gaze from the boy, opening her own textbook.

The boy did not respond, nor did he say another word to her for the rest of class. Once the bell rang he was off before she could even ask for a name. Reece left the classroom after everyone else, taking her time as she walked towards the courtyard. She had class with Sam, and then the day was over.

Suddenly remembering that tonight was the night her older brother, Micheal, was bringing his girlfriend over for dinner. Reece grimaced, tugging the strap of her bag and stepping out into the courtyard; she _hated_ meeting Mickey's girlfriends.


	3. mickey blue eyes

(( Yes I have one reviewer!!! withalittlehelpfrommyfriends - I am so glad you like it! I am probably going to update again later today so look for that. ^^ Hope you like this chapter! ))

**Disclaimer**: All characters except for Peter Petrelli are mine - he belongs to the TV show heroes. So does the premise for this story (super abilities)

The rest of the day was spent taking sloppy notes in class, which Sam would inevitably copy later, but there was whispering in the hallways; Reece was disinterested in gossip, but she was not stupid. The hushed tones mostly centered around how she 'brutally attacked' Trevor Buck during arts. Apparently someone decided that knocking his chair over wasn't a grand enough story, so they spun a clever web.

One that Reece had no intention of correcting, at least not to the ones spreading the gossip. Sam knew her better than that and Max was there; the only person she felt responsible to explain herself to was Jackson Press, but he was missing in action until the very end of the day.

Sam was meeting with her music teacher afterschool so she wasn't in the courtyard when Reece arrived. Sitting down momentarily on the bench in front of her locker, she pulled her backpack onto her lap, reaching in for her wallet.

Inside there was a photo of her and her brother Mickey, from a few years ago; their family rarely took trips, and after saving up for some time they'd managed to go to Disneyland. In the picture her brother was wearing mickey mouse ears, which was supposed to be ironic, and Reece was crouched down next to him, grinning.

That was the last time she had the luxury of calling her brother "close". He'd stopped confiding in her a few months after the trip, and now that he was away at college it was even easier for Micheal Addler to avoid his sister.

Smoothing out the photograph, she smiled down at Mickey's wrinkled face, remembering how he'd worn those ears everywhere on that trip.

Thinking of tonight she made a sour face, stuffing the picture back into her wallet and closing up her backpack. He'd brought home three girlfriends since going to college two years ago, and each one had been worse than the last.

Apparently he was a walking personal ad for vapid blonds; even Sam had a little crush on him, though she was not so much vapid as she was blond.

Opening her locker, Reece gathered her things, only taking two notebooks and her science textbook, she was about to shut her locker when a hand stopped it.

"Hey Rambo. I heard you pulled a punisher today in art class." The crooked smile of Jackson Press greeted her, holding the locker door open and clutching a backpack with his other hand.

"Is that what everybody's saying? That makes me sound cool. I'll settle for that," she laughed, cheeks flushing.

"Yeah, well, if I were you I'd watch out for Mariella Fitzgerald. Her and Trev are apparently an 'item', or what'sitcalled, and she's protective of her men," he made a mock serious face, letting go of the locker so she could close it.

Reece snorted, pulling her bag over her shoulder, "Are they really? But she's taller than him."

"Well, it's not height that Trevor Buck looks for in a woman, is it," J.P. laughed, beginning to walk towards the hallway that led to the front of the school. Reece fell into step with him.

"So," she started.

"So," J.P raised a brow.

"You know I really didn't "brutally attack" anyone in class today, right?" Reece peered at him curiously.

J.P. chuckled, giving a noncommittal shrug of the shoulders. "I don't really care if you did or didn't."

"Well, I definitely didn't. I just knocked his chair, that's all." Reece nodded as they reached the front of the school.

J.P. held his hands up, starting to walk away, "hey, you don't have to explain anything to me, Rambo." Then, with a wink, he disappeared into the sea of moving students.

Reece breathed out, swallowing and feeling the color recede from her cheeks. Her car was in the parking lot, in the back row where the student cars were allowed. She'd saved up, after working at a local diner her first two years of high school, and bought an old Volkswagon Jetta.

It was beat up, but Reece liked to think of it as overly loved.

She headed for her car and, turning up the radio loudly, she made her way home.

Her parents were already both home, which was especially strange for her father, but Reece did not have time ask why; she was ushered to take a shower, clean up, and set the table.

It was half past six when the doorbell finally rang, and Reece had been sitting on the stairs waiting since five. She was clad in an uncomfortable plaid skirt and plain stockings, with a white blouse. Her mother was treating it as if it were dinner with the president.

Reece did not appreciate the outfit, but she missed her brother, so much.

She sprang up, catching the door before her father could, and clearing her throat. Being charming was never her strong suit, and unless someone had patience they found an unwelcoming bitterness from Reece; nothing she personally intended, just an air that was given off.

As if she was insulting merely by existing.

Reece was still determined, however, to figure out Mickey's new girlfriend; she would have to make herself more accessible, if even possible.

She opened the door with a polite smile, and there Mickey stood in all his glory. He looked exactly a she remembered him, and yet somehow completely different. There was a hardness in his face, one that stole from his once soft blue eyes. Reece furrowed her brows, feeling her mother and father approach from behind but she did not react; Mickey stared at her, and she stared right back, until finally…

"Mickey blue eyes!" Her father said cheerily, clapping his hand on his son's shoulder and giving him a hug. "It's so good to see you."

"Yeah, you too Pop," Mickey nodded, half smiling.

From behind him a woman emerged, wearing a dark red dress that was modestly cut and yet so seductive with its satin fabric, clinging to the shape of her body. She cast a sweeping glance, her long eyelashes making everything seem in slow motion, until her gaze landed on Reece.

"You must be Reece," she said in a low voice, smiling, "I've heard so much about you."

Reece nodded slowly, but she could not take a step forward to greet the young woman. There was a sudden constriction in her chest, and her breathing was becoming rapid. The young woman extended her hand, and Reece simply stared at it for a few moments.

Her father nudged her, and she jumped, a little startled, and then forced a hand out to meet hers.

"Ow!" Reece pulled back, holding her hand protectively against her chest.

"I'm sorry, did I hurt you?" The young woman cried softly, looking concerned.

Reece looked down at her hand, flexing the fingers as she did so, and shook her head. "No, I'm fine."

Mickey looked between the two women, interjecting. "I think dinner's getting cold."

"You are too right," Mrs. Addler said, and then she took the young woman's hand, steering her towards the kitchen. Mr. Addler followed, bringing in a few plates to the dining room. Mickey and Reece were left alone, standing in the foyer.

Mickey turned to his sister and took her hand, but Reece turned away, still holding her arm to her chest.

"I know Molly can seem a little… intense, but you'll like her. She's not blond, like the rest of them," he smiled.

Reece considered him with an unreadable expression; she shrugged, "Yeah, I guess."

"Hey, why don't we go help dad bring the food in, yeah?"

"Alright."

Mickey reached out and, this time, Reece did not retract. He ruffled her hair, messing up the half ponytail. She laughed, and he laughed back. "Glad to see you're smiling."

They entered the kitchen, and Mr. Addler was just about to move a pot of rice into the dining room. Reece fell back for a moment, letting Mickey take the glasses inside. Her hand still felt funny, as if it were tingling. Stretching her fingers, she stared down at her palm, curiously.

"Hey, Ro, will you take this?" Mr. Addler held out the pot of rice.

"Sure," she said absently, taking it from him as he turned away from her.

A second later there was a loud crash, and the pot was on the floor. Reece looked up at her father, horrified.

"Ro! God, you can be so clumsy sometimes!" He laughed, but there was an undertone of anger.

"I'm so sorry dad!" She swallowed, "I thought I had it."

"Well you didn't, since you dropped it, so why on earth would you think that?" He said, irritated, and moved to get a mop to clean it up.

_Because, I did have it_…


End file.
